Wisdom of the Ages

Revisiting Dogs - Part 2

As I get ready to do the follow-up of my last blog where I shared what we can learn from dogs (Archive Sept. 21) our dog Durante sits next to my desk looking at me and thinking, “I can’t wait to see whar he’s going to write.” Durante is a Schnoodle - part Schnauzer, part Poodle, part Human (he thinks). Why Durante? Do you, (can you?) remember Jimmy Durante - The Schnoz? So - here is what I want to share: “If”, with an acknowledgement to Rudyard Kipling, who I think would approve. He wrote at least three poems about dogs; you can find them if you Google him.

If you can start the day without caffeine, If you can get along without pep pills, If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles, If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it, If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time, If you can overlook it when something goes wrong through no fault of yours and those you love take it out on you, If you can take criticism and blame without resentment, If you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct him, If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend, If you can face the world without lies and deceit, If you can conquer tension without medical help, If you can relax without liquor, If you can sleep without the aid of drugs, If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion or politics, Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.

Next time: The final installment in my trilogy about dogs, “Rules for the Dog."